History of Central Asia

Before Russia

Back before Russia too control of this area in 19th century there were three native states in this area: Khiva (Khorezm), Bukhara and Kokand. All three were ruled by Uzbeks and their former capitals are located in modern Uzbekistan.

The three states were divided in geographically meaningful units. Kokand ruled Ferghana valley. Bukhara an area between Syr Daria and Amu Daria and Khiva areas south of Aral Sea as well as west of the Amu Daria.

Together these three states controlled all the valuable and fertile lands. The Uzbeks pushed all other Central Asian ethnicities to the periphery: Kazakhs to the steppes, Tajiks into mountains and Turkmens into desert.

Around three Uzbek Khanates were 4 other Central Asian people.

Both Tajiks and Turkmens were likely the original Parsi speaking inhabitants of these areas. When Turkic Uzbeks took control of the Transoxiana and expelled original inhabitants from fertile areas into mountains on the east or desert in the west.

Tajiks are those who fled or were pushed into the mountains in the east. There in rather inhospitable mountains, Tajiks managed to retain some of their original culture as well as Parsi language.

 

Turkmens fled south-east  If Tajiks managed to retain their language and some culture, then Turkmens became Turkified. They adopted customs, traditions and way of life from the Turkic people. As Turkic people were originally steppe/desert nomads, many of their skills were useful in the Karakum Desert where, Uzbeks pushed future Turkmens. Turkmens switched to speaking Turkic language, that later partly diverged from the one spoken by Uzbeks.

If Tajiks and Turkmens are descendants of the original inhabitants, then Kazakh and Kirgiz are originally Turkic people who retained their original nomadic way of life. Kirgiz controlled somewhat better lands on the steppe south-east borders. Kazakhs were instead roaming the least prosperous empty steppe. 

Generally, term Kazakh means drifter or nomad. Thus, it's possible to assume that originally it was not an ethnicity but more of an occupation or a way of life. 

In contrast Uzbek means 'the lord' or 'of lord'. This raises the question if they simply named themselves leading or ruling people out of their own arrogance. Or alternatively this term was given to them by their lords. instead meant to be interpreted as if of lord in the meaning the people who serve a lord, servants of Khan.

Kirgiz means one of 40 and its a reference to a Manas epic, where one leader united 40 tribes and led them to some prosperity. Modern Kirgizstan is hardly prosperous, but possibly that land was prosperous once.

Russia and USSR

Situation changed when Russia took control of this area. Russia often had problems with Uzbek rulers of the three states. Russia fully annexed Kokand as well as significant parts of Bukhara into Russia proper.

Eventually USSR decided to redivide the area completely and redistribute the lands in a completely different fashion. For the most part these redistributions involved taking land from Uzbeks and giving it to its neighbors. That left Uzbeks dissatisfied, but make the remaining 4 Central Asians somewhat happy, even if USSR disproportionally favored Kazakhstan over the remaining 3.

To make matters worse, all Uzbek lands were amalgamated into one single Uzbekistan. That led to former elites of their own countries now competing for influence in a joint state. All of that made Uzbeks least pro-Russian state of central Asia. Many likely hold grunges against both Russia as well as their Central Asian neighbors.

Out of the remaining four Central Asians, USSR disproportionately favored Kazakhstan. In fact, USSR favored Kazakhs more that pretty much every other Soviet republic and diverted a lot of development from other parts of USSR into their land. Fertile lands of former Bukhara, Kokand and even Russia proper were transferred to Kazakhstan, giving them these current fat borders, that eclipse the rest of Central Asia. People were relocated to Kazakhstan; a lot of industry and infrastructure was built there. Even the most important space center of the USSR, Baikonur, was built there. 

All these Soviet efforts made Kazakhstan from law-less steppe where people lived much like in primitive tribal societies into a relatively modern, if undemocratic state. 

Because of that Kazakhstan the last Soviet republic to declare independence and the only one who was passionately opposed to dissolution of USSR. Kazakh leader had to be placated by all of the other post-soviet states ones, including Russia. Kazakhs feared that without USSR and their favoritism not only their prosperity, but also security will come to an end. However, Yeltsin likely promised to protect them from potential Uzbek invasion. 

Turkmenistan and Tajikistan did not receive from USSR nearly as much as Kazakhstan did, but still enough to make their life better than it was before. USSR build them their capitals but also gave Tajikistan Khujand and parts of fertile Ferghana valley from former Kokand Khanate. Turkmenistan also got access to parts of Amu Daria River from former Bukhara. That allowed them to somewhat develop.

Post-USSR

After USSR collapsed Uzbekistan tried to become friend with the US in order to take on their neighbors and subjugate them. However huge cultural differences and lack of common understanding prevented them from working together. Americans found it unacceptable to use military and lethal force to suppress the protests, while Uzbeks do not know how to govern without such measures. Details here. Putin did seize the opportunity to restore relationship with Uzbekistan by calling government measures "restoration of constitutional order", Uzbekistan briefly rejoin CSTO but then quit it again.

Uzbekistan is still poor due to lack of many natural recourses and high population. 1.5 as many people live in Uzbekistan compared to much larger Kazakhstan. However, Uzbekistan managed to figure out how to manufacture Korean Daewoo under license and export it into the rest of post-Soviet space.

Favorite son of the USSR, Kazakhstan, in contrast continues to cling to Russia in order to protect themselves from Uzbeks. Kazakhstan is member of CIS, CSTO and Eurasian Union. Kazakhstan has in their vast borders enough oil and gas to lead relatively prosperous life. They build variety of vanity projects and skyscrapers, including new capital city and many other things. The west does not criticize them as what they do is not as cringe as Turkmenistan, but Sacha Baron Kohen still mocked them in his Borat movie, that they banned.

Kirgizstan somehow managed to be most pro-American and very pro-Russian at the same time. It has an American Institute for Central Asia but also a member of Eurasian Union. It's also the only Central Asian country that had multiple revolutions and multiple attempts at democracy. When it comes to democracy Kirghizstan is the most developed Central Asian country. Multiple leaders have come and gone since dissolution of the USSR: Askar Akayev, Kurmanbek Bakiyev, Felix Kulov, Sadir Japarov. They tried both presidential and parliamentary system at different times.

Turkmenistan is flushed in oil and gas. That allows them to prosper and their leaders to indulge themselves in crazy vanity projects. Despite their prosperity the place is compared to North Korea due to abundance of many crazy rules as well as unrestrained cult of personality of its leader. Saparmurat Niyazov dubbed himself Turkmenbashi, build himself a golden statue that turns around to constantly face the sun, wrote a book called Ruhnama, claimed everyone who reads it 3 times will go to heaven and forced local Islamic clergy to endorse these claims, he also builds a giant monument to it also he renamed days and month after himself, his mother and his book.

Tajikistan is poorest of the Cental Asian countries. Most people travel to work in Russia and send remittances. After the collapse of USSR, it survived a civil war and an interference from neighboring Afghanistan. Russia has military bases there to keep Afghanis at bay. This is also the only Parsi speaking country in the area, however it does not border Iran, so they could not help Tajiks even if they wanted to.